1est quaedam (quicumque volet cognoscere lenam,
There is a woman (whoever wishes to learn about a procuress,
2audiat), est quaedam nomine Dipsas anus.
let him listen), an old woman called Dipsas.
3ex re nomen habet: nigri non illa parentem
She gets her name from nature: she has never seen the
4Memnonis in roseis sobria vidit equis.
mother of black Memon on her rosy horses whilst sober.
5illa magas artes Aeaeaque carmina novit,
She knows the magic arts and the spells of Circe,
6inque caput liquidas arte recurvat aquas;
and by her skill she can turn flowing rivers back to their source;
7scit bene quid gramen, quid torto concita rhombo
well she knows the power each herb possesses, or moving
8licia, quid valeat virus amantis equae.
threads on a whirling wheel, and the fluid from a mare in heat.
9cum voluit, toto glomerantur nubila caelo;
When she wants, clouds gather across the whole sky;
10cum voluit, puro fulget in orbe dies.
when she wants, the sun shines in a clear sky.
11sanguine, si qua fides, stillantia sidera vidi;
I have seen, if you can believe it, the stars dripping with blood;
12purpureus lunae sanguine vultus erat.
even the face of the moon was red with blood.
13hanc ego nocturnas versam volitare per umbras
I think she changes shape and flies through the shades of night
14suspicor et pluma corpus anile tegi.
and her old woman's body is covered with feathers.
15suspicor, et fama est. oculis quoque pupula dulpex
That's what I think, and that is the rumour. In her eyes too
16fulminat et gemino lumen ab orbe venit.
double pupils flash lighting and a beam of light comes from both eyes.
17evocat antiquis proavos atavosque sepulcris
She can summon great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers from ancient graves
18et solidam longo carmine findit humum.
and split open solid groung with a long spell.